


Whatever happened to...?

by ClagJanetSMK



Series: A Pandemic Alphabet [23]
Category: Scarecrow and Mrs. King
Genre: 2020 Lockdown Stories, Even though it's 2021 now, Family Fluff, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Romance (offscreen), W is for Whatever Happened to?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:15:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29703903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClagJanetSMK/pseuds/ClagJanetSMK
Summary: Sometimes it felt like Dotty spent as much time quizzing Amanda about her love life as she did pursuing her own.
Series: A Pandemic Alphabet [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2031118
Kudos: 5





	Whatever happened to...?

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to the SP, who so often inspire me to bits of madness like this.

"Whatever happened to Dean?"

"What do you mean, Mother?"

"He didn't call again today."

"He didn't?"

"No, he didn't. And he didn't call yesterday either."

"Mother, wouldn't it be simpler if you just told me when he did call instead of listing days when he didn't?"

Dotty put down her coffee cup and gazed at Amanda with narrowed eyes. She could tell her daughter was being evasive because she was looking anywhere but at her, and her cheeks were getting pinker by the minute.

"I used to tell you every day that he'd called. Sometimes several times. I used to be able to set a clock by him, you know. That 10:15 call when he was on his coffee break, the 4 pm call to confirm he was coming for dinner."

"I suppose that's true."

"But now, suddenly, nothing!" Dotty tossed her hands in the air. "One day, you're getting ready to marry him and the next day – nothing!"

Amanda did turn to look at her at that. "Now Mother," she said sternly. "You know I wasn't ready to marry Dean. I was never even engaged to him."

"Maybe not," replied Dotty with a toss of her head. "But you were ready to be engaged to him."

"I don't know where you get these ideas," said Amanda, turning back to the dishes. "We dated for less than a year."

"Well, I'm getting the idea that any of my hopes are history now," sighed Dotty. "Since you're referring to him in the past tense."

Now it was Amanda's turn to sigh. She placed the last dish in the rack, and turned to her mother, wiping her hands on the towel. "No, Mother. I don't think I'll be seeing Dean again." She put down the towel, stared at her feet for a moment and then looked up with a sad expression. "He said he realized we weren't right for each other and that he should move on."

"Oh Amanda! How awful!"

"Well, I'm sure it's for the best," Amanda shrugged. "He was probably right about it not working out in the long run, and I wouldn't want to put the boys through that again."

"But… whatever happened to make you break up?" asked Dotty. "You seemed so close."

Amanda stared down at her feet again, bouncing lightly back against the counter. "Well, it was the amnesia, I guess. He was upset."

Dotty looked at her blankly. "The amnesia? Why would that upset him?"

"We-l-l-l-l, "Amanda dragged out the word. "He wasn't upset that I had amnesia, he was upset about the effect of it."

"Oh!" Dotty suddenly understood. "Because you forgot about that lunch with his mother! But Darling, you were in the hospital – surely he understood that?"

"Oh no," said Amanda. "Oh no, he wasn't upset about that. He wasn't upset at all until-"

"Until what?"

"Until I told him I hadn't forgotten you and the boys."

"That upset him? Amanda, you're not making any sense."

"Well, I think it was Dean that wasn't making sense." Amanda fired back defensively. "I was apologizing for forgetting lunch with his mother and how I'd forgotten almost everything except my name and where I lived and you and the boys, and I'd even forgotten all about my job and the people I work with there." She paused and bit her lip, suddenly looking downcast. "Even people I work quite closely with."

"Well, yes Dear, that's what amnesia does."

"But then he said 'But you didn't forget me right?' and I had to admit that I had, Mother and he was terribly upset. He said that if we were really meant to be together, I would have remembered him like family and not have forgotten him like people I just work with."

Dotty winced. "Oh dear."

"Yes, Mother, and I couldn't even argue with him because that doctor at the hospital told me that sometimes you forget people because of emotional complications and really, would I want to be with someone if I feel emotionally complicated about them, even if I didn't realize I felt emotionally complicated about them?"

"Well, no I suppose you wouldn't" Dotty soothed her. "I guess maybe it's all for the best then."

Amanda nodded. "I think so too. I'm going to steer clear of dating for a little while and just concentrate on my job and the plant and pet sitting business. Just take a rest from the whole dating scene, you know?"

Dotty straightened up and walked over to give her daughter a hug. "I think that's exactly what you should do, Darling. I just know your Mr. Right is out there and when you find him, there won't be any complications."

Amanda hugged her back with a soft laugh. "Gosh, I hope you're right, Mother."

* * *

"So, whatever happened to that Dean fellow you went out with the other night?"

Amanda lowered her book and stared at Dotty. "Dean, Mother? We split up weeks ago, you know that."

Dotty waved her had. "Oh dear me, no, That was a slip of the tongue. What was his name? It started with a D too. Dan? Dave?"

The confusion on Amanda's face cleared. "Oh! David! David Benson." She dropped her eyes and pretended to be interested in her book again. "It was an okay date, but definitely a one-time thing."

"Oh Amanda," said her mother in a disappointed tone. "How can you possibly have learned what you need to know about him on one date?"

"I just did. He wasn't a good long-term prospect and you know, with the boys, I have to think about things like that."

Dotty noticed that Amanda was still not meeting her eyes. "Oh really? Not a good long term prospect? That man showed up in a fancy new sportscar and said he was taking you somewhere you need to wear your best dress for and he's not a good prospect?"

Amanda lowered her book with a sigh. "No, Mother. The car was some sort of midlife crisis after he just got divorced a few months ago and he did take me to a beautiful embassy party, but then it turned out that he didn't have an invitation – he just crashes parties for the free food."

Dotty recoiled back into her own chair. "Oh Amanda, how awful! Was it very embarrassing?"

"Oh, we didn't get caught," Amanda reassured her. "But I definitely couldn't look at him the same way after that, could I? I need a man with financial stability, not a frat boy lifestyle."

"Absolutely not," agreed Dotty. "I guess maybe it's all for the best then. You just keep looking for Mr. Right. I'm sure he's out there."

"Gosh, I hope you're right, Mother."

* * *

"Whatever happened to Alan?"

Amanda glanced over to her mother who was behind the steering wheel. "Mother, you shouldn't be chatting, you should be concentrating on the road. Now, remember what I said about pressing down smoothly on the brake pedal as you approach the stop sign so that you don't-"

The car lurched to a sudden stop as Dotty stomped on the brake, sending both women sliding forward on their seats.

"-do that," finished Amanda. "Okay, now remember to look both ways twice and then carefully ease your foot off the brake and then press down on the accelerator."

The station wagon gave another small lurch forward, until Dotty found the correct pedal pressure and they moved down the rest of the street at a snail's pace.

"See? There you go – I can drive perfectly well when I'm not stressed," remarked Dotty. She glanced at her rear view. "Although I don't know why Mr. Donaldson is looking so annoyed. He's come right up behind me and he looks like he's just bit into a lemon."

"Well," said Amanda gently. "You are doing 20 in a 40 zone so maybe he's just a little frustrated. No, no!" she went on quickly as Dotty pressed down on the accelerator. "Don't speed up! You're doing just fine and it won't hurt for him to get where he's going ten seconds slower. You just keep going, just like that."

Amanda sat back and relaxed – somewhat - back into her seat.

"So, what did happen to Alan?" queried her mother.

"Alan Squires?" Amanda hedged.

"Well, of course, Alan Squires," complained Dotty. "One minute he's showing up with bouquets and a gorgeous Rolls Royce and the next minute he's gone."

"Oh well, you know," Amanda stammered. "Sometimes these things don't work out."

"That's too bad," sighed Dotty. "He was so charming."

"A little too charming," said Amanda with a grim note in her voice. "He was using me to get to somebody else."

Dotty turned to look at her in distress. "Oh no, Amanda how awful!" Amanda shrieked when the car moved towards the parked cars along the street, following Dotty's head motion.

"Well, I hope whoever got him knows he's a terrible man," Dotty commented once they were driving in a straight line again.

"Oh, I'm sure they do, Mother." Amanda smiled to herself, remembering Alan being led away in handcuffs. "But it was all okay in the end. He didn't fool the person he was after and I'm sure I'll never see him again."

"Well good," said Dotty approvingly. "I guess it was all for the best then. That ring he gave you was just awful. When you find your Mr. Right, I'm sure he'll have much better taste in jewelry!"

Amanda let out a gurgle of laughter. "Gosh, I hope you're right, Mother."

* * *

So you never did tell me – whatever happened with that baron?"

"What baron, Mother?"

"What baron, she says." Dotty rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Don't you 'what baron' me, young lady! You went off to a party with a baron and then you never came back until the next morning and you never even called!"

"I told you, Mother. I was tied up."

"Amanda, you know I would never probe into your deepest darkest secrets, but if you're going to leave me in charge of the boys all night and not call, you could at least give me a few more interesting details than just insinuations about what he likes to do behind closed doors!"

"Mother!"

"What?" deadpanned Dotty. "He didn't close the door?"

"Mother!" Amanda repeated, now shrill. "I can't believe you think I would" - her voice dropped almost to a whisper - "do something like that!"

"To each their own, Darling. As I say, I'm not asking for the sordid details, but maybe just some of the less interesting ones. I mean, was his castle nice?"

"He didn't live in a castle, Mother, but yes, his house was very nice. He had a collection of antique vases."

"Of course, he did! Those aristocratic men – they always have the most interesting things! Were they very beautiful?"

"There was one from the Ming Dynasty – it was pretty."

"Oh, my goodness, Amanda! That must have been priceless!"

"Well, it got damaged, so probably not so much." Amanda ducked her head to hide a smile.

"Do you think you'll see him again?"

Amanda shrugged. "Oh, I don't think so – or if I do, it'll probably be because he's on the front page of the paper or something."

"That's so true," Dotty nodded. "I mean we all think about meeting a prince or a duke or a baron and living happily ever after, but of course, that's all just fairy tales. It's all for the best – I'd be so unhappy if you married a baron and moved so far away from me! No, you need to just find a lovely American, Darling. There must be a perfect man for you just hiding in plain sight, don't you think?"

Amanda nodded solemnly. "Gosh, I hope you're right, Mother."

* * *

"Now whatever happened to you in Munich? I couldn't make heads or tails about what you were saying on the phone. I could swear you said you'd been arrested, but of course that can't possibly be right!"

"No Mother, that's right. I was arrested. But it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity, so once it was all straightened out they let me out right away."

"Right away? Amanda, you were gone four extra days! Do you mean to tell me you were in jail that whole time?" Dotty gasped and clutched her hand to her chest. "Was that your one phone call? And I didn't understand you? Is that why you were there so long? Oh Amanda, how awful!"

"No, Mother, I was only in jail for one night. They sent someone from the embassy to bail me out and then he worked to make sure they didn't lock me up again."

"Oh, thank heavens! If I thought that I could have been doing something!" Dotty relaxed slightly before turning on her like a bloodhound scenting a trail. "So, who did they send from the embassy that could get you of jail?"

Amanda shrugged. "Just a nice man who knew how to deal with the German legal system."

"A lawyer?"

"No, no," Amanda stammered. "I think he was some kind of law enforcement – a kind of policeman, or maybe a security person."

Dotty lost interest. "Here I thought you might find romance and adventure in Europe and instead you end up on the lam."

"I wasn't on the lam, Mother. I was released into American custody, pending investigation. And that was quite enough of an adventure for me."

"Did you at least get to see any of the sights? I mean, I know we were just there a few months ago, but did you get to see anything new before you were locked up in an embassy office?"

"I was never locked up in an office, Mother. And yes, I did get to see some of the countryside around Munich. It was very pretty."

"They let you travel? I thought you were in custody?"

"Well, I was, but the man who was looking after me, I mean, the guard… he took me sightseeing. You know, to get my mind off things."

Dotty sniffed. "That doesn't sound much like custody to me. That sounds like he was trying to show off to you."

"Oh no, Mother, he wasn't. In fact, he was very annoyed with me the whole time because when I got into trouble, he'd had to cancel his vacation to deal with it."

"Oh, that's too bad," sympathized Dotty. "And I suppose the Germans were just like they are in the movies? All efficient and humorless?"

"Well, some of them, yes," admitted Amanda. "But the lieutenant assigned to my case was quite sweet. He even invited me to dinner when it was all over."

"Did you have a wonderful time?" asked Dotty, her interest renewed.

"Oh no, I didn't go," said Amanda immediately. "I had my flight home and there was no time."

"Well, that's too bad," Dotty sighed. "I would think it would be wonderful to get to see a city with a local, you know? You'd get to see all sorts of places a tourist would never get to see."

"Like the local jail?" Amanda teased her.

Dotty snorted with laughter. "Well, I'd certainly hope you'd get to see nicer places than that! So, if you hadn't had the flight home, would you have gone? Was he cute?"

Amanda wrinkled her nose. "I probably would have, just to be polite and he was kind of cute, I suppose. He had nice eyes, but he had this kind of Columbo thing going on – you know, the rumpled trenchcoat look?"

"Oh, I see. Well, sounds like it was all for the best – like I said before, I just couldn't bear it if you fell in love with someone who lived so far away. With luck, the next man who asks you out lives right here in the neighborhood and then I wouldn't have to worry about that!"

"Gosh, I hope you're right, Mother."

* * *

"Amanda, whatever happened on your date last night?"

"What do you mean, Mother?"

"You went out to the 8 o'clock show at the movies with Bryce and you didn't come home until after midnight!"

Amanda busied herself with the arranging the flowers she'd just picked up at the grocery store. "Oh well, we went for coffee afterwards and got to talking, and you know how it is…"

Dotty sighed happily. "Was it wonderful?"

"The restaurant? Oh yes, it was lovely! And you know, Bryce got us in without even needing a reservation!"

Dotty rolled her eyes. "Not the restaurant, Amanda! Bryce! Is he as lovely as he seems? I mean, he seems just wonderful – successful lawyer, so handsome and yet he still shows up at every Little League game and school play and even volunteers for the PTA! I mean, honestly, he's just perfect! And perfect for you! His little boy and Jamie are already friends, so you wouldn't have to worry about getting to know your stepchildren. And no worrying about the ex-wife – I mean it was so tragic the way she died when Buddy was just a tiny baby, but that means that dear sweet boy needs a - "

"Mother!" Amanda interrupted her laughing. "You've got us all married off and all we've done is go to a movie!"

"And had a long talk over coffee," Dotty reminded her. "I mean, that's all it took for your father and me! We went out on a date and then we stayed up until dawn talking!" She gazed off into the distance, obviously lost in memories of that day.

"Well, we didn't stay out all night talking," Amanda said. "We went for a cup of coffee and then-" She searched for something that was at least vaguely truthful to tell Dotty. "And well, then there was something going on with the police and we got stuck there for a while because the police closed down the whole block and we couldn't leave."

"Oh," Dotty answered, looking slightly deflated. "So not a long romantic evening?"

"I'm afraid not, Mother. Just a lot of chatting about the movie and our boys. It was nice though. He's a nice man."

"Do you think you'll go out again?"

"Well, maybe," Amanda answered, pausing when she realized that was just the opening her mother needed to keep nagging her about going out with Bryce again. "But probably not any time soon. I'm so busy these days helping Phillip with his geography project and Jamie with his radio and Bryce is in the same boat with his kids. I guess I'll wait and see if he asks me again."

"I'm sure he will," said Dotty firmly, confirming Amanda's hunch that she'd be hearing Bryce's name a lot more for the next little while. "You are a catch, Amanda and he should realize it! You're smart and funny and lovely and I don't just say that because I'm your mother. But because it's true! Someday some tall, gorgeous man is going to find you and you'll make him the happiest man in the world! It might be Bryce or it might be someone even better but he's out there, you mark my words!"

Amanda walked around the counter and gave Dotty a long hug. "Gosh, I hope you're right, Mother."

* * *

"Well, whatever it was that happened to get that poor Byron Jordan murdered, I'm certainly glad you're not mixed up in it anymore, Darling." Dotty lowered the newspaper where she'd been studying the front page story about the attempted assassination of President Nabuti. "I mean, I had no idea how dangerous a job working for a security firm could be! Here I thought it would be a nice 9-5 office manager job that would keep you home more, instead of the way you're always flitting off to film locations and working crazy hours and now look!" She picked up the paper again and waved it at Amanda. "Murder! Assassinations! Double-crossing business partners!"

"Yes Mother, I know. I got arrested for his murder, remember?"

"How could I forget? As if anyone could think you were a murderer!"

"Well, my fingerprints were on the murder weapon."

"Well of course they were, but the police should have understood you were just there for a nice romantic dinner."

"It wasn't a romantic dinner, Mother. It was just a welcome-to-the company dinner."

"At his house?"

Amanda closed her eyes as her mother's questions got a little too close to all the same things Lee had said that day in the jail cell.

"Yes, at his house, Mother, but it really was just dinner. Like I told you, he was a very nice man."

Dotty leaned forward looking interested, with her elbows resting on her knees and her chin cupped in her hands. "You did say that. Was he very handsome too? His picture in the paper made him look very handsome."

"He was very handsome, and very nice, and he was my boss and you know I could never date anyone I was working for," Amanda reprimanded her. "It wouldn't have been right."

"Well, it may not be right, but it happens all the time, Amanda," Dotty shot back. "Where is a man who works all the time going to meet anyone if not at work? Workplaces romances have been a thing since the beginning of time, Darling, and I don't see any reason why you should cut yourself off from an entire dating pool. You can find love among your co-workers just as easily as anywhere else, more easily really."

"I suppose that's true, Mother."

"Of course, it's true," Dotty nodded decisively. "Now speaking of work, have you thought about what you're going to do for a job now?"

"Actually, I got a call from my old boss at IFF asking to see me, and he didn't say why, but I'm hoping that maybe I can ask for my old job back."

"Oh, that would be wonderful, Darling. Do you think you can ask for a raise?"

"I don't think so, Mother. Their budget is pretty small – government cuts, you know – but honestly, I'll just be happy to have a job, and if I need more money, well, maybe I can try starting my pet and plant sitting business back up."

"That's a wonderful idea, Amanda! And you know, getting back out there with that business, you'll meet so many more people and they'll see how caring and nurturing you are and-"

"Mother, do you think you could stop trying to set me up with hypothetical men just for one day? My boss was murdered just a few days ago – I don't think I'm really in the right frame of mind to be dating anyone."

Dotty sagged a little bit. "You're quite right, Darling. You should be concentrating on getting another job and looking after yourself."

"Thank you, Mother."

"But if there did happen to be someone at work, with a steady government job and a government pension…" Dotty spread her hands and lifted her shoulders in a quintessential mother gesture and Amanda couldn't help laughing.

"I'll be sure to take your advice," she grinned fondly.

"Well, I, for one, will just be glad when you're back in a nice safe job with a film company," said Dotty, waving the paper at her again. "You may work long hours sometimes but at least I don't have to worry about you getting caught up in something like this again!"

Amanda surreptitiously knocked on the wooden table beside her. "Gosh, I hope you're right, Mother."

* * *

"Whatever happened to that Alan fellow?"

"Alan?"

"That man you went out with."

"Which one, Mother? I've gone out with a few Alans." Amanda grinned at Dotty.

"Now, don't you get all coy with me, young lady," said Dotty, eyeing her across the breakfast table. "You know perfectly well which I mean. The one who sent you the corsage with the lovely handwriting and took you to dinner and the opera."

"It wasn't handwriting, Mother, it was calligraphy, and he didn't take me to the opera, that was a friend from work."

"Well, either way, you went off on that date all starry-eyed and then talked to him after we all went to bed, and then you went off to have breakfast with him – and yet, somehow, you've never said another word about him!"

"What do you mean I talked to him after you went to bed?"

"I heard you, Amanda. I got up to go find an aspirin and when I passed your door, I could clearly hear you talking to him."

"You could?" Amanda paled at the idea of her mother finding Lee in her bed. She gave herself a mental shake. On her bed. On, not in.

Dotty gave a laugh. "At least I assume he was on the phone – unless he climbed up the trellis and into your room like the prince in Rapunzel?"

"Oh Mother, don't be silly." Amanda was now blushing to make up for having lost all her color a few seconds before. "Nobody's climbing anywhere."

"Pity. I could admire a man who'd make a romantic gesture like that." Dotty paused, toying with her teacup. "So, are you going to see him again?"

"You mean Alan? Of course, you mean Alan – who else would you mean?" stammered Amanda. "No, I won't be seeing him again. He went home to Italy last night."

"He's Italian? Now why did I think he was American?" asked Dotty in confusion.

"He is American, Mother, but he lives in Rome. And now he's gone back there."

"Oh well, I guess he wasn't the one for you then," Dotty said in a commiserating tone. "Long distance romances never work, do they?" When Amanda nodded, grimacing slightly, she leaned in, inviting confidences. "But was he very charming and handsome? An American in Rome? He must have been fascinating with all the stories he could tell."

Amanda gave a small smile. "Yes, he was very good-looking."

"And fascinating?"

Amanda shook her head. "Dull as a stick."

Dotty sat back, disappointed. "Well, that will never do for you, Amanda. You deserve so much more. You need someone fascinating, someone who will keep your interest, someone who will climb mountains for you – or at the very least a trellis."

Amanda stifled her laughter. "I'll definitely keep that in mind, Mother."

There was a moment of silence and Amanda thought she was off the hook.

"So, who did you go to the opera with, then?"

"I told you, Mother, someone from work."

"Is he nice? I can tell he's cultured because he likes opera."

"I never said it was a 'he', Mother."

"No, but I know you, Amanda, and the fact that you're being evasive about it tells me it was a 'he'."

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Fine, it was a 'he', but it wasn't a date – he just happened to have some tickets and he invited me along."

"Just happened to have tickets to the opera?" Dotty repeated. "I don't know who you're fooling, but no one just happens to have opera tickets, Amanda."

Amanda shrugged. "Well, maybe he has season's tickets. You never know."

"So, is he handsome?"

"Mother!"

Dotty shrugged back. "No harm in asking. You know what they say: you can fall in love with a handsome man just as easily as a plain one."

Amanda tilted her head and regarded her mother with narrowed eyes. "Don't they usually say you can fall in love with a rich man just as easily as a poor one?"

"Oh, so he's rich?" asked Dotty hopefully.

"He's a government employee in an educational documentary film division, Mother. Why would you think he was rich?"

"Maybe he does it for the love of education," Dotty dimpled at her. "So… is he handsome?"

Amanda considered her answer. "I guess some people would say so."

"Do you say so?"

"Mother, he's just a man I work with – we're not involved."

"A handsome man you see every day and who invites you to the opera? Maybe he'd like to be involved."

"I'm sure he doesn't," Amanda chided her. "He has a very active social life with a lot of friends. He probably just had an extra ticket because one of his girlfriends stood him up."

"Bit of a ladies' man, is he?" asked Dotty, disappointed.

"A little bit, yes," Amanda replied, mentally apologizing to Lee for throwing him under the bus.

"Well, I suppose it's all for the best then. At least you got a nice night at the Kennedy out of the deal," remarked Dotty.

"There is that silver lining, Mother."

"Well, you know what I always say, Amanda. Life is too short to be a pessimist. You need to make the most of it and enjoy it. If you look at every day as an exciting adventure, well, I'm certain you'll find love with someone who feels the same way. This week, it's a night out at the opera – maybe next month it could be a romantic moonlit walk in the woods. Sometimes you just have to see what life throws at you, and if you stay open to it, love will find you. I just know it."

Amanda blinked in the face of Dotty's impassioned speech. "Gosh, I hope you're right, Mother."

* * *

"Whatever happened while you were off helping your Mr. Stetson, I hope you know that Joe was right here being a rock for me and the boys, Amanda."

"I know he was, Mother. He's a good man."

"He certainly is. I don't know what I would have done without him here being so calm and helping with the boys. And that man from the government! Did I tell you about that Mr. Melrose who kept coming and asking all those questions as if any of us would know anything?"

"Yes, Mother, you mentioned him." _A few times,_ she added mentally.

"Joe worked very well with him too. Every time I'd get upset, Joe would lead him off for a quiet talk until I calmed down. I mean, I was a mess, Amanda! A complete mess! I still can't believe you jumped out a window to escape federal agents! What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that I had a very good friend who was in a lot of trouble and he needed my help right at that moment and well," Amanda shrugged. "If I'd stayed to talk to those men, I wouldn't have gotten there in time to help him."

Dotty studied her face. "A very good friend? Mr. Melrose seemed to think there was a little more going on."

"Oh Mother, why would he think that when he doesn't know either of us?"

Dotty shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe it was because you _jumped out a window_ to go help him."

Amanda winced. "Yes, I suppose that does look suspicious."

"You know, Darling, if you want a _very good friend_ , who doesn't make you jump out windows and go on the lam, Joe is right here, and I can tell he still cares about you very much."

Amanda moved to sit beside Dotty and take her hand. "Mother, you know I love Joe and I know he still loves me and the boys, but we really are just the best of friends now, and I don't think we could ever go back to being anything else."

Dotty gave off a deep sigh. "I suppose it's all for the best then. You know, he didn't say anything, but he did make a few quiet phone calls while he was here – I think he might be seeing someone."

Amanda couldn't keep the smile from lighting up her face. "Oh Mother, I hope you're right."

* * *

Whatever happened to 'we just work together and I'm not dating Mr. Eleven'?" asked Dotty.

Amanda had just come in the front door and wandered into the kitchen with an air of not being entirely on earth. If you could draw picture of a woman walking on air, it would be Amanda at that moment. Hair slightly tousled, lips reddened and slightly puffy from long kisses and if she wasn't mistaken… Dotty's lips twitched as Amanda turned to the fridge, revealing the back of her blouse was completely untucked.

"Well, I guess I just decided that maybe I was being silly about not dating co-workers and I decided to take him up on it when he asked me out."

"Well, you know I thought he was just lovely the day he stopped by the house a few weeks ago."

Amanda nodded, sipping from the glass of milk she'd just poured. "Yes Mother, you did."

"So handsome too. And so helpful! He helped me pick up all the records the boys had left on the floor and tidied them away as if he'd been here a thousand times." Dotty watched the blush rising in Amanda's cheeks. "Unless he has been here before?" she asked speculatively.

Amanda swallowed the wrong way and began to cough. "Well, of course he hasn't been here, Mother! What would make you ask that?"

"You were good enough friends to run off with him for a week, I don't think it's much of a leap to think he might have been to the house once or twice. I mean, he knows where your bedroom is," she added pointedly.

"Mother!"

"Amanda, I was right there when he jumped out your window! You don't forget a thing like that!"

"Well, maybe once or twice," Amanda conceded. "But just to pick me up or drop me off when we were going to a location somewhere out of town."

Dotty nodded, clearly not believing her for a minute. "So how was dinner?"

Amanda looked completely thrown off balance by the change in subject. "Dinner?"

"Yes, dinner. You know – the dinner you supposedly just came home from?"

"Mother! What do you mean 'supposedly'? Of course we went to dinner! It was lovely."

Dotty tilted her head and smiled. "The portions must have been very small though."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you came home from dinner and you've just downed an entire glass of milk and you're demolishing that chicken leg like you haven't seen food in weeks."

Amanda looked down at her hand guiltily, not even having noticed she'd picked it up out of the fridge along with the milk. "We-uh- well, we talked a lot over dinner. I guess I didn't eat as much as I thought."

"That's too bad. I'm sure the dessert was good though," Dotty teased her,

Amanda's smile turned fond and her eyes went a little bit glazed. "Dessert was… fabulous."

"I can tell your Mr. Stetson enjoyed it too," remarked Dotty.

Amanda's gaze sharpened as she turned back to Dotty with a questioning look.

"You might want to wear a turtleneck to work tomorrow," her mother grinned as she pointed to her own neck.

Amanda's hand flew up to cover what she knew was probably a rapid blooming hickey. "Oh my gosh!"

Dotty couldn't hold in her giggles any longer. "You know Amanda, I haven't seen you this starry-eyed over anyone in years – not even Joe if I'm honest. I think it's wonderful that you've finally found someone you could fall in love with." She paused. "You could fall in love with him, couldn't you?"

"Oh yes, Mother," said Amanda with a misty smile. "Very much so."

"That makes be very happy, Darling. Are you going to invite him for Christmas with the family?"

"I think so," Amanda nodded. "He doesn't have any other family and I wouldn't want him to be alone."

"Oh, that's a shame, that poor man! If only you'd started dating earlier, he could have come for Thanksgiving!"

Amanda coughed, although it sounded a lot like she was trying to cover a laugh. "I tried inviting him for Thanksgiving, but he didn't want to come."

"Well, I hope you have better luck with Christmas then," said Dotty. "If nothing else, he'll get to meet Joe and you can show him that part of your life is over. Men like to know there's no competition, you know."

"Well, I'll do my best to get him here," Amanda agreed, grinning from ear to ear. "I'd like the boys to get to know him."

Dotty gazed at her daughter's face, seeing how radiant she was. She wondered if Amanda even realized that she'd been walking around like this for months; quietly glowing, always smiling – and often just a little later home from work than normal. "You are serious about him, aren't you? You think he's Mr. Right?"

"Oh yes, Mother, Lee's – well, he's a very special man."

Well, you know what I say: if it's special, it'll last."

"You know, Mother, I think you're absolutely right."


End file.
